French Lop-ish Care?

[threelops]

We’ve adopted a French Lop-ish bunny (she looks like a French Lop without the lop ears–they’re either up or helicopter-y).  Twenty years ago, we had 2 Holland lop and 1 mini lop house rabbits (all male), so the large rabbit is completely new to us, not to mention 20 years to forget all we knew.

What do I need to know about caring for this 10 pounds of sweet fluff?  She eats Timothy Hay, and I’m switching her to quality pellets.  From what I can tell, she should be getting about 3/4 cups a day?  How many fresh veggies should she get each day, and what are the best options to keep on hand to give her (I shop once a week if that matters)?

For litter, I’d like to switch her from a newspaper based litter to wood stove pellets because of cost.  Are those still considered safe?

She’s been spayed.  Is there anything specific I should know about caring for a female instead of male rabbit?

[Wick & Fable]

I’m glad to hear you’re double checking and refreshing your memory. Domestic rabbit care standards and recommendations have changed so much for the better even in the past decade. Many misconceptions have been corrected.

Diet will be based on age. Any idea of age?

Wood pellets is dependent on type of wood and if it has chemical treatment. I don’t use it, but other users do so I won’t touch this question.

There’s a veggie list on this site in the informational tabs. It shows the best veggies, showing which are high and low in certain nutrients and how these quantities should shake out in a daily diet. Rabbit diet changes should always be done slowly. Always.always.always.

My rabbit is male, so also passing off this question.

Do you have a rabbit experienced vet or have you had an initial appointment to build rapport and get a check of her health?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[tobyluv]

Hello and welcome to Binky Bunny. Pellets should be fed according to a rabbit’s weight. Do you know how much your bunny weighs? Feeding charts will differ, but the one that was made up by the vet for the sanctuary where I volunteer states that 3/4 cup of pellets per day would be for a rabbit weighing 11 – 15 pounds. If your bunny is in that range, then she is getting the right amount. Some people do feed their rabbits less than the recommended amount, though, if there is a tendency to gain too much weight or have messy droppings.

Timothy hay is fine. Your rabbit may also enjoy any of the other grass hays, such as orchard grass, meadow grass or oat hay.

Regarding veggies, the recommended amount is 2 cups per day for a 6 pound bunny, so again, it’s helpful to know your rabbit’s weight. Some people (like me) don’t actually measure the veggies and may give more than that. It’s good to have a variety of greens and veggies, and some are better than others so they can be given more frequently. If you click on the BUNNY INFO at the top of the page, it has a lot of good info on all the basics of rabbit care, including feeding, with links to articles on good veggies.

Wood stove pellets are fine to use. Just make sure that they contain no accellerants. Horse stall pellets also come in large bags and are very economical. You could find those in feed stores or Tractor Supply stores.

I’ve had both male and female rabbits and I don’t think I’ve ever done anything differently with their care.

[threelops]

Thanks for the answers, and sorry I didn’t respond sooner. We had a stomach bug go through all 7 human members of my family.

Lady Jane Grey is 10 pounds and about 2.5 years old.

[Author]

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